1.2 Description of the study area
1.2.1 CHOKORIA SUNDARBANS
The Chokoria Sundarbans is located in the eastern part of Bangladesh whereas the Sundarbans is in the extreme southwestern part of the country.
The Chokoria upazila is surrounded by the matamuhuri, Bara Matamuhuri, Maheshkhali and Kutubdia Channel. Chokoria (Town) consists of 9 wards and 22 mahallas with an area of 2.95 sq km. It has a population of 50716; male 52.64%, female 47.36%. Literacy rate among town people is 34.5%. It has three dakbungalows.( Banglapaedia ,2006) The study area map of Chokoria Sundarbans is shown in figure 1.1. and Natural and planted Mangrove Forestry map in Bangladesh is shown in figure 1.2.
The Chokoria Sundarbans is situated between latitude 21°36'N to 21°45'N and longitude 91"58'E to 92"05'E. It lies in the delta of the Matamuhury River and in the district of Cox's Bazar. The land is flat and intersected by innumerable creeks and channels (Fig.30). The forest occupies the central part of the Matamuhury delta. Mean annual maximum and minimum temperature of the area varies between 20°C and 32"C.Annual rainfall in the Chokoria Sundarbans is about 3,500mm. (Siddiqi,2001)
(Source of Banglapaedia ,2006)
Figure -1.1 Location of the study area map of Chokoria Sundarbans.
Figure -1.2: Natural and planted Mangrove Forestry in Bangladesh (Siddiqi,2001)
1.2.2 Physical Environment of the study area:
Figure -1.3 : Map of the Chokoria Sundarbans showing its land use based on landsat data of
1988 (Choudhury etal,1990)
The mangrove forest of Chokoria Sundarbans had well demarcated boundary as it was surrounded by waterways on all sides.In the north sub-division , the forest had a common boundary with the unclassed state foest of Chittagong Hill tracts.In the south –east the forest adjoins the settled land and faces the Maiskhal channel connectsd to the Bay of Bengal in the south. In this area there are many low lying island s which are mostly submerged at high tide. The forest was of salt-water Sundarbans type.
1.3 Organization of the study :
This study comprises of five chapters in a chronological order , which will help the reader of this paper to understand without any difficulties. In addition, a reference of the publication has also been presented.
Chapter one deals with general information ,objective of the study and the description ofstudy area.
Chapter twoindicates the brief description of the mangrove forest , it’Deforestation ,Remote Sensing process and the Geographic Information System.
Chapter three analyzes the methodology of the study.
Chapter four explore the analysis of the land cover change detection .
Chapter five concluded the paper recommendation and scope of future study
is alsoadded in this chapter.
